Saturday, January 30, 2010

One of the eight wordly winds

Praise and compliments disturb me, Sapping my revulsion with samsara. I start to covet others’ qualities,

And thus all excellence degenerates.

Those who stay close by me, then,

To ruin my good name and cut me down to size

Are surely protecting me

From falling into ruin in the realms of sorrow (Shantideva 6: 98-99).

Sunday, January 17, 2010

Evil is problematic

Is God willing to prevent evil, but not able? Then he is not omnipotent. Is he able, but not willing? Then he is malevolent. Is he both able and willing? Then whence cometh evil? Is he neither able nor willing? Then why call him God?

- Epicurus